Phew….I’m trying out my command of the language…but somehow I forgot to change the text to simplified Chinese…so just make use with traditional Chinese lah.. But at the same time vent my frustration on the poor service by some sales assistants in a book-store in Singapore. I’m not gonna name the location in case the Government chances upon it, and make a big fuss of the issue. But it also goes to show how much pleasent manners were lacking in an A-typical Singapore. Of course to a foreigner, especially to a westerner no matter, the attitude is a lot different and them "Ang-Mos" will rave about how friendly and pleasent Singaporeans are. But from a local point-of-view, as well as some of our Asian neighbours, the difference in basic manners could put us to shame.

But to contradict to the cause, it could also be that our own attitude as the customer-who-thinks-they-are-always-right, are a terrible scene as well. We raise our voice to the poor people serving us, trying to make our shopping trip a pleasent one. And just to imagine they work say 8 hours, and every half an hour a few of such obnoxious customers they were to face, it’s no wonder their temper will flare.

So it comes to a question in mind: to achieve better manners, who should play the part first: the customers/clients, or the sales/service members? End of the day, it still boils down to the "egg-before-chicken-or-chicken-before-egg" theory. But I believe in both parties playing the role simultaneously. It directly eliminates (in some ways) the hassel of "to-be-or-not-to-be" equation, don’t you think?